Tom Parkes played over seventy times for the first-team during a two-year stint at St James Park between 2019 and 2021. He arrived from Carlisle United and left for Livingston. 

Tom joined Leicester City as a scholar/trainee in 2008 and turned professional in 2010. From then until his release in 2012, Tom was sent on loan to Burton Albion (three times), Yeovil Town and Bristol Rovers. By the time Tom left Leicester he hadn’t played for the first-team but had clocked-up 46 Football League appearances during his various loan moves. He had also appeared for England under-17s. On departing Leicester, Tom then had four seasons with Bristol Rovers playing around 175 league and cup games in League One, the Conference and back to League One again. From the Memorial Ground Tom moved on to Leyton Orient for a season followed by two campaigns at Carlisle United.

And it was after appearing in 39 league games for Carlisle in 2018/19 that Tom signed for Exeter City on a two-year deal in May 2019. Making his debut against Macclesfield in the opening game on 7 August 2019 - and scoring against Crewe and in the 4-0 win over Plymouth - Tom played 31 league games before the season was halted by COVID-19. Resuming again for the play-offs Tom played in all three of City’s games, including the Wembley defeat against Northampton, but only as a substitute in each case. He then went on to play a further 31 league games in 2020/21.     

After the expiry of Tom’s Exeter City contract in May 2021 he signed for Livingston on a one-year deal with the possibility of a further two years. He made his debut against Brechin City in the Scottish League Cup in July 2021 and scored in the first minute in a 3-0 win. Tom continued to feature in the Livingston squad until December 2021 when he suffered injury. This resulted in knee surgery with Tom being out of action until appearing in four games at the end of the 2022/23 season.

Playing a dozen times for Livingston in the 2023/24 season, and having made his final appearance for the club in the New Year game against Hearts, Tom signed for National League Hartlepool United in January 2024 and made nineteen league appearances during the remainder of the season.